Control device operator



Feb. 21, 1961 w. s. KUNZLER CONTROL DEVICE OPERATOR Filed March 31, 1959CONTROL DEVICE OPERATOR Filed Mar. 31, 1959, Ser. No. 803,288

6 Claims. (Cl. 74-504) This invention relates to control valveconstructions for controlling a flow of fuel to a burner and inparticular to a dial latch for preventing accidental opening of thevalve.

An object of this invention is to separate the locking elements of theactuating mechanism of a control device during normal operation thereof.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate friction between thelocking elements of the actuating mechanism of a control device duringnormal operation thereof.

Another object of this inventionis to reciprocate one of the lockingelements of a control device operating mechanism during the latching andreleasing of the locking elements without reciprocating the dial duringthe latching operation.

This invention is particularly applicable, although not limited, to acombined gas cock and thermostatic regulating valve device to controlthe top surface burner of a cooking range appliance. In the preferredconstruction, an inwardly projecting lug is integrated with one end of acylindrical cover for a control device housing. A control actuator isoperably disposed within the cylindrical cover and is provided with anabutment means which engages the projecting lug to prevent accidentalrotation of the control actuator when the same is in its off position. Adial shaft extends into the control actuator and is operativelyassociated therewith to move the same axially to disengage the lockingelements and to rotate the control actuator to a controlling position.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation view with parts broken away and parts in sectionof a control device embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of tails of Pig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a front view of the dial of the control device.

As is illustrated in Fig. 1, a housing includes an upper casing 12 and alower casing 14 secured together by suitable fasteners. The housing 10is formed with a pilot outlet 16, a main outlet 18 with a hood 20thereon, and an inlet bore 22. The upper casing 12 includes athermostatically operated regulating valve means (not shown) to regulatea flow of fuel between the inlet bore 22 and the outlet 18 in accordancewith variations from a desired temperature setting. Inasmuch as theregulating valve means may be of any suitable type, further descriptionthereof is deemed unnecessary.

The lower casing 14 is open at its front end and provided with afrusto-conical bore forming a tapered valve seat 24 which bisects theinlet bore 22. A shutoff plug or valve member 26 has a correspondinglytapered surface for cooperation with the tapered seat certain detatesPatent 0 24. The valve member 26 is rotatably disposed in the taperedseat 24 and is provided with a through bore 28' which selectivelyregisters with the inlet bore 22 to control the inlet flow of fuel.

Oppositely disposed to its tapered end, the valve member 26 isprovidedwith a valve stem 30 which extends through the front opening in thecasing 14. The end of the valve stem 30 has an axial recess 32 along itscentral axis and an outwardly projecting pin 34 radially offset from thecentral axis.

A dial shaft 36 has a generally D-shaped cross-section formed by anarcuate portion and a flattened chord portion. The dial shaft 36 has areduced inner portion 38 which is slidably and rotatably received in theaxial recess 32 of the valve stem 30, and an outer portion 40 which isprovided with a longitudinal groove 42 on a side opposite the flattenedportion. Intermediate its ends, the outer portion 40 is provided with apair of spaced recesses 44 and 45 extending around the arcuate portionof the shaft 36 and forming mounting recesses for a pair of generallyC-shaped spring clips 46 and 47, respectively. Each of the spring clips46 and 47 has a straight portion which engages the flattened portion ofthe shaft 36 and an arcuate portion wrich protrudes slightly from itscorresponding recess and extends across the longitudinal groove 42.

A ring washer 50 is mounted on the reduced inner portion 38 of the dialshaft 36 and is positioned adjacent, but slightly spaced from the shaftsouter portion 40. A sector plate 52 has a central D-shaped openingcorresponding to the D-shaped shaft 36 and is mounted on the reducedinner portion 38 in abutting relation with the ring washer so and theend of the valve stem 30. The sector plate 52 is provided with a pair ofspaced abutment surfaces 54 and 56 which are spaced approximately 210apart and which alternately abut the projecting pin 34 to form a lostmotion connection for operating the valve plug 26.

A generally cylindrical guide or cover member 58 is open at both endsand a mounting flange 60 on its inner end is provided with aperturedcars 62 which receive suitable fastening means (not shown) for securingthe cover 53 to the front end of the lower casing 14. Adjacent its outerend, the cover 58 is provided with a substantially annular recess 64 anda radially extending recess 66 projecting outwardly from the recess 64.A look plate or a ring member 68 has a projection 70 on its outerperiphery and a projection 72 on its inner periphery; the projection 70is received in the recess 66 to align the ring 68 properly in the recess64 and is secured to the cover 60 by any suitable means, such asstaking.

A generally cup-shaped hub member 74 forms a control actuator and isrotatably and slidably disposed within the guide cover 58. The bottomwall 76 of the cupshaped hub 74 has a D-shaped opening 73 conforming tothe D-shaped configuration of the dial shaft 36. A generally squaretongue 80 is an integral part of the bottom wall 76 and projectsinwardly into the D-shaped opening 78 and is disposed between the tworetaining clips 46 and 47, the clip 46 prevents removal of the dialshaft 36 from the completed assembly and the clip 47 engages the tongue80. Directly below the opening 78, the bottom wall 76 is punched out toform an arcuate tang 82 having a slope or rise 84 and an end stop 86. Aperipheral flange 88 extends radially outwardly from the-mouth end ofthe cup-shaped hub 74; one part of the flange 88 has a varying thicknessto outline a cam surface 90 and another part has an axially extendingtab 92.' A coil spring 93 surrounds a part of the dial shaft 36 and ismounted in compression between the ring washer 50 and the bottom wall 76of the control actuator 74. The biasing force of the spring 93 urges theplug valve 26 in one direction against its tapered seat 24 and urges thecontrol actuator 74 in another direction so that the flange 88 engagesthe cover flange 60 which acts as a bearing surface.

The cam surface 9i engages a cam follower 94 which extends into thehousing id for setting the thermostatic regulating valve at a desiredtemperature. The tab @2 alternately engages a pair of spaced abutments9% (only one being shown) which are spaced approximately 80 apart todefine the limit of rotation of the rotating mechanism; i.e.,approximately 28%.

A control dial 98 is frictionally mounted on the outer portion id of theEl-shaped dial shaft 3d. A periphery of the control dial 98 is formedwith suitable indicia corresponding to the various temperature settingsof the control device. The temperature setting indicia cooperates with afixed reference mark on a bezel ring 959.

In its off position, the dial 9 3 is locked against rotation because theend stop 86 of the arcuate tang 82 engages one edge on the projection 72of the locking member 68. In order to place the control device inoperation, the dial is moved inwardly causing inward movement of thedial shaft 35 whereby the spring clip 47 acting on the tongue 89depresses the control actuator 7 against the bias of coil spring 93. Aslight inward movement of the control actuator displaces the arcuatetang 82 from the locking projection 72. While in the depressed condtion,the dial 93 is rotated counterclockwise a small increment so that thetang 82 is completely clear of the projection 72. After the initialrotation of the dial 9%, additional counterclockwise rotation may beaccomplished without retaining the dial in a depressed condition. Thedial i8 is rotated approximately 280 to its high position at which pointthe tab 92 will engage one of the stop abutments 96. Because of itsD-shaped configuration, the sector plate 52 rotates with the dial shaft35; after the initial rotation of approximately 210, the abuttingsurface 56 of the sector plate 52. engages the pin 3 on the valve stem3'3 so that the last 70 of rotation moves the valve 26 to a full onposition with its bore 23 in registry with the inlet bore 22.

With the valve member 26 in an open position, gas flows through thehousing to a burner where it is ignited by any suitable means, such as apilot burner (not shown). The dial 98 is then rotated clockwise to anyparticular temperature setting. During this temperature settingrotation, the sector plate 52 is rotated away from the projecting pin 34so that the valve member remains in an open position. The particulartemperature setting is effected by the cam surface 93 on the controlactuator 74 which positions the cam follower 94 to a positioncorresponding to the desired setting.

When it is desired to turn off the control device, the dial 98 isrotated clockwise to its ofi position. During the last 70 of suchclockwise rotation, the abutting surface 54 of the segment 52 engagesthe projecting pin 34 of the valve stem 3t and thus rotates the valvemember 26 to an off position. During the final increment of theclockwise rotation, the slope S4 of the tang 82 engages the projection72 causing inward axial movement of the control actuator 74. As soon asthe tang $2 completely clears the projection 72, the bias of the coilspring causes the control actuator 74 to move axially outwardly relativeto the dial shaft 36 and the cover guide 58 and thus position the endstop 86 in abutment with the edge of projection 72. With the dial 98 inits off position, further clockwise rotation is prevented by the tab 92engaging the other of two abutment stops.

During the initial movement from the off position, the dial .58, thedial shaft 36, and the control actuator 74 are axially moved as a unitand the spacing between the ring Washer 56 from the outer portion dd ofthe dial shaft 36 provides sufficient clearance for the axial move mentthereof. During the final clockwise rotation of the dial 9% to the offposition, the dial shaft 36 and the dial 9% do not reciprocate becausethe tongue 89 of the control actuator 74; reciprocates relative to thedial shaft a portion extending into 4 36 in the space provided betweenthe two spring clips 46 and 47. With such an arrangement, there is noaxial movement of the dial 98 to the hand of an operator so that thedial 98 may be manually turned with a smooth, unbroken rotary movement.

It is only during the final clockwise movement of the dial 98 to the offposition that there is any frictional engagement between the tang S2. ofthe control actuator 74 and the locking projection 72. During all othertimes of rotation, the tang $2 is completely clear of the projection 72so that friction therebetween during rotation has been eliminated.Although the tab 72 is shown as being slightly inclined outwardly inFig. 2, it should be noted that this inclination is solely for thepurposes of manufacturing tolerances and/ or clearances and the lock ingmeans would function in a described manner with the projection 72 in thesame plane as the locking ring 68.

Inasmuch as this disclosure is subject to various changes in structuraldetails and in the reversal of parts, it is intended that the foregoingdescription and drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a control device, the combination comprising a housing, controlmeans in said housing movable between a plurality of controllingpositions, a generally hollow cover member mounted on said housing, acontrol actuator slidably and rotatably disposed in said hollow memberand being operatively associated with said control means, cam meanscarried by said control actuator, follower means for said cam meansincludin control operating means operatively associated with said cammeans to be selectively positioned thereby, a dial shaft having saidhollow member and being operatively connected to said control actuatorfor unitary rotation therewith, resilient means engaging said controlactuator and biasing the same into engagement with said hollow member,projection means carried by said hollow member, and abutment means onsaid control actuator for engaging said projection means and lockingsaid control actuator against rotation, said abutment means and saidprojection means being disengageable by axial movement of said dialshaft and said control actuator.

2. In a control device, the combination comprising a housing having anopening at one end, control means in said housing movable betweenaplurality of positions, cover means including projection means andbeing mounted on said housing adjacent the opening therein, a controlactuator slidably and rotatably disposed within said cover means andbeing operatively associated with said control means, cam means on saidactuator, cam follower means includiug control operator meansoperativeliy associated with said cam means and being selectivelypositioned thereby, a dial shaft having a portion extending into saidcover means and being slidably and non-rotatably connected to saidcontrol actuator, means carried by said dial shaft and cooperating withsaid control actuator whereby axial movement of said dial shaft causesaxial movement of said control actuator, abutment means on said controlactuator and engaging said projection means to lock the said controlactuator and said dial shaft against rotation, and resilient meansmounted in said control actuator and biasing the same into engagementwith said cover means whereby axial move ment of said dial shaft andsaid control actuator disengages said abutment means from saidprojection means to permit rotation of said dial shaft and said controlactuator.

3. In a control device, the combination comprising a housing, controlmeans in said housing movable between a plurality of controllingpositions, a generally hollow member for said housing securely fastenedthereto, a control actuator slidably and rotatably disposed in saidhollow member and being operatively associated with said control means,a cam surface on said control actuator and being rotatable thereby, camfollower means including a control operating element operativelyengaging said cam surface and being moved thereby to a selectedposition, a dial shaft having a portion extending into said hollowmember and being operatively connected to said control actuator forrotating the same from an initial position through a plurality ofcontrol positions, projection means carried by said hollow member,abutment means on said control actuator for engaging said projectionmeans and locking said control actuator against rotation in the initialposition, and resilient means engaging said control actuator and biasingthe same into engagement with said hollow member; said abutment meansand said projection means being disengaged by axial movement of saiddial shaft and said control actuator and being separated during rotationof said control actuator to eliminate friction between said two lastmentioned means during such rotation.

4. In a control device, the combination comprising a housing having anopening at one end, control means in said housing movable between aplurality of controlling positions, a cover member having a cylindricalportion and being mounted on said housing adjacent the opening therein,locking means carried by said cover member, 21 control actuator slidablyand rotatably disposed within said cover member and being operativelyassociated with said control means, a cam surface integrally formed onsaid control actuator, cam follower means including a selectivelypositioned control operator engaging said cam surface and being movablethereby in response to rotation of said control actuator, abutment meanscarried by said control actuator and cooperating with said locking meansto lock said control actuator against rotation, a dial shaft extendinginto said cover member, an operative connection between said dial shaftand said control actuator whereby said dial shaft and and said controlactuator are slidably and non-rotatably connected, resilient meansengaging said control actuator and biasing the same into engagement withsaid cover member, and means carried by said dial shaft and cooperatingwith said operative connection whereby said dial shaft and said controlactuator move axially as a unit when said dial shaft is depressedaxially and whereby said control actuator moves axially relative to saiddial shaft when rotation of said dial shaft and said control actuatorcommences engagement of said abutment means with said locking means.

5. The combination as recited in claim 4 wherein said operativeconnection comprises a tongue and groove connection between said dialshaft and said control actuator.

6. In a control device, the combination comprising a housing having anopening at one end, control means in said housing movable between aplurality of controlling positions, a cover having a cylindrical portionand being secured to said housing adjacent the opening therein, a tabmember carried by said cover and projecting radially inwardly, agenerally cup-shaped control actuator slidably and rotatably disposedwithin said cylindrical portion and having a peripheral flange adjacentto its mouth in an opening in its bottom wall, a cam surface on saidperipheral flange, a control operator follower extending into saidhousing and having one end engaging said cam surface whereby saidcontrol operator follower is selectively positioned by rotation of saidcontrol actuator, resilient means engaging said control actuator andbiasing the flange thereon against said cover, a dial shaft extendingthrough the opening in said control actuator and being operativelyconnected to said control actuator for unitary rotation therewithbetween on and off positions, a tang outwardly projecting from thebottom wall of said control actuator and engaging said tab member tolock said control actuator and said dial shaft against rotation whensaid dial shaft is in the ofi position, a tongue member formed in thebottom wall of said control actuator, a groove formed in said dial shaftand receiving said tongue member to form a slidable connection betweensaid dial shaft and said control actuator, said tongue being slidable insaid groove to permit axial movement of said control actuator relativeto said dial shaft when rotation of said dial shaft to its off wposition effects engagement of said tang with said tab member, andretaining clip means carried by said dial shaft and engaging said tonguemember wherebysaid dial shaft and said control actuator move axially asa unit when said dial shaft is depressed to disengage said tang fromsaid tab member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,943,582 Chester et al. Jan. 16, 1934 2,188,088 Stafford et a1. Jan.23, 1940 2,295,427 Puster Sept. 8, 1942 2,341,647 Parkhurst Feb. 15,1944 2,746,472 Sogge May 22, 1956 2,849,891 Mills Sept. 2, 19582,909,324 Weber et a1. Oct. 20, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 544,218 Canada July30, 1957

